Dischargeable pocket for pocket-billiard tables and the like.



F. c. HOBBS. DISGHARGEABLB POCKET FOB POCKET BILLIABD TABLES AND THE LIKE. APPLIOATIOH FILED MAY 18, 1914.

1,1 1 6,889, Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

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v the sideofthe table,to form sidepockets,

'ner pocket.

N E M N OF E FRANK c. HOBBS, or MUsKEeo'N, micnieAnyassienon'ro,BRimswIoK-BAL E- connnnnnn 00., A CORPORATION on DELAWARE,

- DISCHARGEABLE POCKET non IOCKET-BILLIARDTABLES AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10,- 1914.

Application filed May 18, 1914. Serial No. 839,355.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,'FRANK O. Hones, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Muskegon, in the county'of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have in-' vented certain new and useful Improvements in Dischargeable Pockets for Pocket- Billiard Tables and the like; and I do hereby declare that the, following description of my said invention, taken in rconnection with the accompanying sheet ofdrawings, forms a full, clear, and exactspecification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makevand use the same. v

:This invention relates generally'to improvements in dischargeable pockets for pocket billiard tables and the like, and it consists, essentially, vin the novel and peculiar conibinationof parts and details of construction, ashereinafter first fully set forth and described and then pointed out in the claims.: I a

1 In the drawinglalready referred to, which serves to illustrate my said invention more fully, Figure 1 is an elevation of a fragment of a pocket billiard table, indicating my dischargeablepocketl thereon as a cor- Fig. 2is a' vertical section in line 22 of-Fig. 1'. Fig; 3Qis a like section of a fragmentlof the said pocket showing the lower end thereof in discharging po sition.

Like parts 'D, the slate'frame; 'E,the head block; H,

theipocket iron; and I, the pocket proper. Attention is now drawn to the fact that while the drawings illustrate the pocket as a corner pocket, thesamemay be applied to are indicated by corresponding symbols and characters; of referencein I without change or modification except as to the employment of a suitably shaped pocket iron. I

The pocket I is in this instance formed from a flat blank of leather into cylindrical shape, the'adjoining and overlapping longi tndinal edges of which are riveted or other wise secured together asat 1. The upper portion of the leather pocket is of equal diameter, and considerably larger than the diameter of a billiard ball, but thelower portion thereof gradually tapers down in diameter on a neatly swept curve until the lower end or outlet is but very little in eXcessof the diameter of the billiard balls. One side of the lower end is cut away as at 2 to providea side outlet from said pocket. Closing the lower end of the pocket I there is a hinged cup-J which cup is pivoted to said pocket by pivots 3 at a point for wardly or outwardly of the medial line of the pocket, so that the'weight of abilliard ball 4 dropped into said cup, 'plus the 're-- mainder of the spheres in said pocketwill tend to maintain said cup in closed position. Theoutward portion offthe wall of c up J is, cut away at, 5', to coincide with the cut 7 away "portion 2 of the pocket I, the whole forming an essentially elliptical opening K of insufiicient sizevto' permit the egress of the billiard balls. 'IOutwardor forward motion of said cup, is prevented by the upstanding rear wall of said cup contacting I with the lower back wall of the pocketI 'as clearly seen in Fig. 2.

:When it isdesired to remove thebilliard balls from the pocket I the palm of the sufficiently elevated, the said, opening will be large enough to permit the automatic ejection of the ball into the 'palmof the hand. It willinow be observedthat as the ball drops into the palm'of the hand, the

opening K is closed to succeedingballs, and

if the hand be removedfroni contact with the lip L,the cup will return toits normal I position before another ball can drop through the opening K; thereby preventing the egress of succeeding balls until the discharging operation is repeated; In this manner control of the discharge of the balls is effected, and there is no danger of a plurality of balls issuing from the pocket in adapted to fit and wherein it is secured in any suitable manner. In the wall ofsaid pocket, adjacent theflslate bed E of the pocket billiard table A, there is produced a cut away portion 7, to permit the ingress of c the balls into the pocket.

The walls of the pocket I may be perforated with a plurality of perforations 8 of any preferred design to enhance theappearance thereof for obvious reasons. It is from leather. Any other suitable material may be employed. The same may be drawn from light sheet metal in the well known process of drawing with the interior lined with a thin leather lining to prevent metallic contact of the billiard balls, and the exterior nicely nickeled or silver plated and buffed or polished to a high finish, if desired.

In cases oftables provided with troughs or runners underneath the table leading from each pocket to a common point, where a receptacle for the reception of all the bil liard balls is located, the opening K in pocket I and cup J is located on the inner or v opposite side of said parts so that said balls may gravitate into such troughs or runners.

W Vhile herein I have described the preferred method of practising myinvention, I reserve the rightto make such changes and alterations as might suggest themselves to one skilled in the art or permitted under the doctrine of equivalents.

It is now to beunderstood that I dojnot confinethe application of my invention .to billiard balls alone. The same may be applied to billiard chalk holders, for instance,

or to bowling alleys for the reception of bowling balls, or to marble containers in novelty stores and thelike, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

It will be observed that in the act of moving the cup shaped structure J out ojf the way the balls are slightly elevated so as to insure their egress over the lip L.

Having thus fully describedmy invention I claim as new and desire to secure to myself I by Letters Patent of the United States I .1. In combination, a shell having an opening at the upper and lower ends thereof, a

cup shaped closure pivoted at the said lower end, there being coinciding cutouts in the side walls of said shell and said closure, and means in connection with said shell, whereby when said closure is tilted, backwardly, ob-

jects introduced into said pocket and closure are elevated and ejected through said cutouts.

2. A dischargeable pocket comprising a cylindrical member having an Open lower end and a tiltable cup shaped member closing said end, said cup being pivoted to said cylindrical member forwardly of the medial lines of said cup and member, said cup having means limiting the forward motion 1 thereof, whereby the weight of billiard balls introduced into said member will maintain said cup in closed position.

3. A dischargeable pocket comprising a cylindrical member having an open lower end and a tiltable cup shaped member closing said end, said cup being pivoted to said member forwardly of the medial lines of i said cup and member, said cup having means not necessary that the said pocket be made limiting the forward motion thereof, whereby the weight of billiard balls introduced into said member will maintain said cup in closed position, there being coincidin cutouts in the walls of said cup and mem er of lesser diameter than said billiard balls.

4:. In combination, a shell having an opening at the upper and lower ends thereof, a cup shaped closure pivoted at the'Said lower end forwardly of the medial line of said shell and closure, there being coinciding cutouts in the side walls of said shell and Said closure, and means in connection with said shell, whereby when said closure is tilted backwardly, objects introduced into said pocket and closure are elevated and ejected through said cutouts. v

5. In combination, a shell having an opening at the upper and lower ends thereof, a cup shaped closure pivoted at the said lower end and possessed of an axial opening in the bottom thereof adapted for the reception of objects introduced into said shell, said opening being of lesser size thansaid objects, there being coinciding cutouts in the side walls of said shell and said closure, and

means in connection with said shell, whereby when said closure is tilted backwardly, said objects are elevated and ejectedthrough said cutouts. I

6. In combination, a shell having an opening at the upper and lower ends thereof, a

cup shaped closure pivoted at the said lower end forwardly of the medial 7 line of said shell and closure, and possessed of an axial.

opening in the bottom thereof adapted for the reception of objects introduced into said shell, said opening being of lesser size than said objects,.there'being coinciding cutouts in the side walls of said shell and said closure, and means in connection with saidshell,

whereby when said closure is tilted backwardly, said objects are elevated and ejected through said cutouts.

7. In combination, a suitable shell having an entrance to the interior thereof, and an independent outlet therefrom, tiltable hand actuated means below said shell adapted for the elevation and ejection through said outlet of objects introduced into said shell.

8. In combination, a suitable shell having an entrance to the interior thereof, and an independent outlet therefrom, I 'tiltable" hand actuated means below said shell, and means on said shell co-acting therewith,'adapted for the elevation and ejection through said outlet of objects introduced into said shell.

9. In combination, a pocket having an entrance thereto and exit therefrom, a cup shaped closure pivoted at the lower end of said pocket forwardly of the medial line of said pocket and said closure, there being coinciding cutouts in the walls thereof at a right angle to the pivotal axis of said'closure, and an opening in the bottom of said closure of smaller size than objects introduced into said pocket and closure, whereby,

when said closure is tilted backwardly, said objects are elevated and ejected from said closure through said cutouts. 10. In combination, a pocket having an entrance thereto and exit therefrom, a cup I shaped closure pivoted at the lower end insaid pocket forwardly of the medial line of I through said cutouts by contacting with said.

back wall.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 1

In the presence of- J. O. MA'ITESON, J. O. MILLER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Iatents, Washington, D. C.

FRANK o. HOBBS; 1 

